Altered Realities: Book Five - Kylie
by SarcasmIsMyIntent
Summary: & alternate universe, for more info see author bio, Nathan West x OFC & Kylie O'Donnell is a workaholic who's balancing 3 jobs, and settling into life in Port Charles and an attempt at moving beyond friendship with Nathan West. With the sudden appearance of his ex wife, the sudden discovery of Kylie's family and several other things happening, can they be happy?
1. Chapter 1

One

* * *

Kylie

Things got awkward between Nathan and I after that one night together and I took it as a sign that maybe we crossed a line that never should have been crossed. Since then, I've been avoiding him diligently and I have actually started to look for another apartment in the meantime. I was leaving an apartment showing when I got this feeling; it was weird, I can't explain it.. I just felt like someone was following me. My heart began to race and I started to walk faster.

A quick look behind me showed that nothing and no one was there and I don't think I've ever been more happy to see my Mustang than I was when it came into view. I practically raced the remaining few steps to it and I was unlocking the door when I felt a tap to my shoulder and I turned around.

"You dropped this.. Are you okay?" It was Maxie and I took my phone, stuck it into my pocket. "I'm fine, just.. It felt like somebody was watching me leave the agency just now and I could have sworn someone was following me.. It was you, right?" I asked the question hopefully but she shook her head. "I just saw you coming to your car and saw your phone when it fell out of your jacket in front of the store… Picking up my dress for the Nurses Ball."

"It was probably nothing.. An overabundance of shitty horror movies too late at night." I reasoned it away even though I knew.. At one point, I'd heard heavy footfalls and I'd seen someone, mostly in black, walking behind me. Maxie laughed a little and then she asked the question I had the feeling she was going to ask but I also didn't want to answer.. "So, have you talked to Nathan?"

"Nope."

"Kylie, why the hell not?"

"Maxie, I'm telling you.. If he felt anything for me, he'd have already bought it up by now. Maybe it should just be forgotten.. Chalk it up to one hell of an amazing night and leave it alone." I tried but she was shaking her head and insisted, "Or maybe, Kylie.. Maybe he's being a gentleman about it and you need to bring it up."

"Nope."

"Kylie, damn it."

"Maxie, I'm telling you.. Nathan does not secretly love me. We're just friends. If he wanted more, he'd have made a move by now and besides.."

Maxie scoffed and then said quietly, "Jackson left, okay? And obviously, he didn't want to do it in a way that gave you closure." as she shook her head. I bit my lip and shuffled my feet.. The hairs on the back of my neck were standing up, I noticed it.

"I gotta get going.. Baking cupcakes for my little monsters in my daycare class tomorrow." I hurried myself out of the discussion and Maxie told me with a smirk, "Sooner or later, Kylie, you're going to have to talk to him about that night."

"Not if I can help it." I poked out my tongue and Maxie smirked again, stopping to turn back and ask me, "You are coming to the Nurses Ball, right?"

"Why?"

"You promised! And we need you there. Who else are Lulu and I going to act half our age with?"

"Okay, alright.. I'll think about it." I promised and with the conversation done, I got into the car. I laughed at myself as I caught myself looking over my shoulder and into the backseat as I backed out into the street.

"It's just Halloween getting to me." I laughed at myself.. Everybody's tense lately, in the space of 3 weeks or so, there have been about 5 bodies found in Port Charles and one girl named Evette almost got killed too. The town has a curfew right now and the people in the town are whispering, it's all hush hush.. They all think some killer is back.

Personally?

I think it's coincidence. Nobody's found anything to tie the girls together other than their job and age and looks but that's victimology and not motive or reason.

I'd just parked my car when I saw the black sedan pulling into a parking spot three down from mine, the one designated for visitors to the building. I didn't pay it any mind at first, but I remembered seeing the same black sedan parked four spots away from my Mustang earlier today and then again tonight when I'd finally called it a night and put away all the paperwork on this case Sam and I are working right now.

But maybe it wasn't the same one.

I shook my head at myself, this whole 'killer' thing was really getting to me. And that's when I noticed the missed text on my cell phone.

TEXT: You can't see me, beautiful but I can see you.

TEXT: But soon, you will see me.

TEXT: And you'll be screaming my name.. Not the name of that punk bitch cop.

I threw the phone at my passenger seat and swore profusely for about five minutes.

And then, I did something that was probably the stupidest thing I could have done.

TEXT: The only person who will be screaming, asshole, is you.

TEXT: I've got a gun and I'm not afraid to use it, bastard. If this is some sick joke it's not funny.

TEXT: Fuck right off with this little game.

I smirked and shoved the phone into my pocket, convinced that it was nothing more than some asshole frat boys pulling a prank and I braced myself, making my way up to the apartment I was subletting with Nathan West.

Almost the second I stepped into the apartment, I didn't like the blonde woman sitting on the couch. I eyed her with disdain and she asked in this whiny voice, "Who's she?"

"I'm Nathan's room mate." I grabbed a soda and the rest of my turkey sandwich and made my way to my room, door shutting behind me, mocking her as I laughed quietly to myself about it. They were arguing a few seconds later and the door slammed hard enough that it shook the walls.

A few minutes later, I looked up to find Nathan standing in my doorway, staring at me intently. "New friend?" I asked, immediately wishing I could take back the jealous tone of my voice. But I couldn't and I could take one look at him and tell that he'd heard it. He stepped into my room and shut my door behind him, turning down my radio and sitting there on my bed, staring at his hands.

"My mother said this would be easier."

"What?" I asked when I heard what he'd muttered to himself. He looked up and right at me, and then admitted, "Bringing up what happened that night."

My stomach lurched and no, it wasn't because he was bringing it up.. I'd been feeling sick all day and now apparently, it was going to come out. I raced to the bathroom, door slamming shut behind me and I think I threw up so much that food I'd eaten three whole weeks ago was coming back. I felt a cold rag going across the back of my neck and I looked up, my eyes meeting Nathan's.

"Are you okay?"

"I haven't been feeling that great today.. It's been a weird day? Maybe it's stress and lack of sleep.. And too many horror movies late at night can't possibly help." I explained it because at the time, it was the only reasonable explanation.. I wasn't thinking about what happened between Nathan and I that night a month ago and the possible consequences.

Nathan eyed me as if he weren't sure and I told him calmly, "I'm telling you, I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive.. Now what did you want to say?" I asked, biting my lip as my stomach churned again, this time from the nerves. I had this feeling.. I was about to be friend zoned.

Nathan sat there quietly for a few minutes and he said finally, " I don't want to be your friend."

"Wait, huh?" I asked, going into a mental panic mode but managing to hide it quite well I hoped. I'd been holding my breath when he admitted quietly, "I've started to feel like maybe there's more than friendship between us.."

"Nathan, whoa.. It was one night.. You don't have to.. I mean there's no reason.." I was not handling this whole admission he'd just made well at all. I bit my lip and fell silent. He asked quietly, "So you don't feel anything for me?"

"I do but it's complicated, okay?"

"Why? It doesn't have to be."

I bit my lip and then told him quietly, "But what about the blonde who was here earlier?"

Nathan shrugged and then asked me again, "Why is it complicated for you?"

"Because the way I feel about you scares the living hell out of me and all that shit that happened last year with Jackson.." I even felt like it was a cop out. I knew it was a cop out. I was being a coward.. here he was, giving me everything I'd wanted since the day I met him practically.. and all I could do was sit here and try to convince myself why it wouldn't ever work, how many different ways I'd inevitably disappoint him or fuck things up beyond repair between us.

"I'm not Jackson and I tried ignoring how I feel.. I can't anymore."

I twisted a strand of hair around my fingers and then admitted quietly, "Me either.. But I'm afraid if we cross this line and things get ugly then we won't be friends anymore, Nathan and you're my best friend.. You're pretty much the only person I'm really close to. I'm afraid to lose that."

"Me too." he admitted, but he added, "I'm more afraid though, of not knowing what we could have been and what we could have had."

I nodded. It made sense.

Now if only I could just be brave and admit that I felt that way too.

Before we could get any further into it, I was nauseous again, bolting to the bathroom, again. He eyed me in concern and I explained again, "I'm fine. Pretty sure this is stress and my shitty eating habits and too many late nights."

"Are you really sure? I can get my mom."

"No, no. I'm fine."

He hauled me off the floor and I was pressed against him. "Say we just try.."

I mulled it over and then nodded. "But.. If we try this and it's not working out.. We have to be able to go back to being friends again. I can't lose you as my friend, okay?"

"I promise." Nathan agreed as he pulled me into a kiss and held me against him for a while.

"Are you empty now?" he asked me as he chuckled. I glared at him and poked out my tongue but all he did was fluff my hair.

"So.. what did she want?"

"That was Claudette.."

"As in your ex wife?"

"Mhmm.. And she said that there's something she needs to tell me."

Already, I was getting a really bad feeling, but I shoved it aside and pretended like everything was fine.. Because it was just easier than acknowledging that there was already a huge chance I'd lose him.. I mean she was gorgeous.. Bitchy but gorgeous..

Yes, that was jealousy.

* * *

Alexis & Sam

"So, remember how you wanted me to look into Kylie O'Donnell, Mom?" Sam asked her mother as she took a bottled water from the refridgerator and twisted off the top, taking a sip. Alexis put down her pen and looked up at her daughter, waiting. "Well? Did you find anything?"

"Lots, actually and I'll show you in a minute.. But first, I wanted to tell you that it won't be hard to get a DNA sample for her.. Because I just hired her to work at the agency.. It'll only be her third part time job." Sam mused as she sat down and dug out the folder with everything she'd found on Kylie, handing it to her mother.

Alexis took it and read through it, brows raising every now and then and sometimes, just plain gaping at the words in shock. "She's certainly lead a life." Alexis muttered as she finished reading the file her daughter handed her. Sam said quietly, "All I need is a DNA sample from you.. Julian is in the system."

"And then we'll know."

"And then we'll know." Sam echoed as Alexis asked, "And what about Evette.. Did you find out if she's actually Lila?"

"The DNA results will be in for her tomorrow and I have never been so nervous in my whole life.. And if she's with Johnny, I'm not sure how I like that." Sam admitted, making Alexis raise a brow. "Johnny as in Zacchara?"

"Mhmm.. He was the one who took her to Benson Hurst General after her brush with the killer a few nights ago. And word going around has her as staying at his mansion now.. According to Kylie, who is friends with Johnny's sister, Brielle… They knew each other before though."

"And you're worried. I know I would be." Alexis nodded at her daughter and then asked, "And Kylie.. She's not dating a known mobster, right?"

"Nope.. She's actually subletting the apartment that Nathan and Maxie shared until Maxie and Spinelli got married. And she won't say it, Mom, but she is crazy in love with the guy." Alexis breathed a lot easier, she knew Detective West and he seemed like a good guy, stable and loyal. She raised a brow though and asked Sam, "Why won't she say it?"

"No idea.. She was just talking about them having a one night stand last month and how awkward things have gotten since… said she's looking for a new apartment just to sort of make the awkwardness disappear. She thinks that this will fix everything."

"And you don't."

"We both know the answer to that, Mom.. We've both been there and done that, remember?"

Alexis nodded and then asked, "Have you said anything?"

"About you wanting to find her? Not really.. But she's actually looking for her own birth parents.. According to her, she was told by some guardian or something that they didn't want her.. So if the test confirms that she is the daughter Helena was taunting you with taking, that's what you're up against."

"And it doesn't surprise me, not one bit. Typical Helena." Alexis fumed as she finished reading the files and then smiled, hugging Sam. "This might not all be some dream after all.. Can you imagine having them both be alive and well?"

"God I hope it's true, Mom." Sam admitted as she hugged her mother back and then added, "And I really hope that Kylie turns out to be my sister… We just kind of clicked when she started working at the agency."

"I hope that everything is finally about to work out. Lately, we could all use a bit of good news. We've all been through hell." Alexis admitted as Sam nodded in agreement.

Now all they had to do was wait and find out what the DNA results would hold for them all.

* * *

FOOTNOTE:

And now, here it is.. I know right, finally. Book 5 of my little alternate universe. For more information on Kylie and information on the series in general, go check out my user bio! I really hope you guys like this and I am so glad that so far, people seem to be enjoying the other four stories. I'll get Diego and Adele's story posted soon and there might possibly be a 7th story, I don't know yet for sure.. But I do have ideas and I hope to God you guys are enjoying reading these. I'm genuinely enjoying writing them!


	2. Chapter 2

TWO

* * *

Kylie

TEXT: Why so rude, beautiful?

TEXT: All I was trying to do was make you aware that I enjoy seeing you.

TEXT: And to tell you that soon, you're mine. My beautiful girl.

I woke up to that on my phone and grumbling, I threw the phone. Probably not a smart idea, but I was not exactly in the mood to be fucked with at a little after 5 am. And I was still partially convinced that this was all a sick prank.. Not to mention, I hadn't had my daily coffee and I wasn't even remotely close to waking up.

The phone landed in the hallway after bouncing off the wall. And the noise woke up Nathan who picked up my phone and his eyes scanned the texts in their entirety while I sat calmly wrapped in a sheet and waited on him to freak out.. Which he did, not even five minutes later.

"Were you just not going to show me this?"

"In my defense, I thought it was one of those little shit headed frat boys playing pranks. You know as well as I do, Nathan, that people like scaring other people and when stuff like this killer start happening, it brings out the crazies." I explained it calmly, sliding out of bed and letting the sheet fall, grabbing clothes for the day.

If I tried I knew I'd never get back to sleep, so I was going to just shower and get an early start on my day. "And you're making a big deal out of nothing." I assured him but he stopped me in the hallway, biting his lip as his eyes roamed slowly over my body. "You're seriously just going to act like it's nothing?"

"Because, Nathan, it most likely is. Now I'm gonna shower and go in to work a little early, I can finish setting up my room at the center for the party I'm throwing the kiddos today.. And if you want to shower with me.." I gave a coy wink and slunk down the hallway, smiling to myself when I realized that yes, he was following me.

The nausea hit me out of the blue and I was crouched, vomiting again. I had been up and down with it all night the night before. Now Nathan was officially concerned. "Okay, are you sure this is nothing? Because I heard you in and out of here almost all night last night. I think you need to go and see someone."

"It's a virus." I managed to reply weakly in between vomiting spasms, looking up and over my shoulder at him. He was holding my hair and holding a rag at my neck again. It felt good. "It has to run it's course.. Besides, I'm not a fan of shots?"

"Fan of them or not, you might need one."

"Ughh.. I hate throwing up." I muttered as I finished, mostly because I was finally empty, and I stood, immediately brushing my teeth and rinsing with mouthwash. I turned to Nathan then and pressed against him, biting my lower lip as my fingertip hooked in his sweats waistband. "I'm fine. See? All better."

"Yeah, no.. I'm going to call in and tell them I'll be a little late. You're going to the clinic. I can get you in to see my mom."

"Joy.. I'll get stabbed in the ass with a needle."

"If it makes you feel better, Kylie, maybe it's not a bad thing." Nathan chuckled as he pulled me into a kiss and muttered against my lips, "Nice try at distracting me though. A solid A for effort."

I pretended to pout, of course and we showered, and the cold water ran us out a good thirty minutes later. He called in to let Jordan know the situation and reluctantly, I was going to the clinic downtown.

* * *

Alexis

Watching the news, Alexis shook her head and took a long sip of her morning coffee just as Sam called. She answered the phone and Sam said excitedly, "All we need now, Mom, are DNA from both Kylie and Evette.. And I might have found Evette's daughter too." and Alexis sat down, floored. Molly and TJ made their way in, arguing about who was the last one of them to have the car keys the night before. Alexis held up the keys and Molly hugged her mother as Alexis held her hand to her daughter's stomach.

"Don't forget your doctor appointment today."

"She won't, Ms. Davis. I'm taking off to take her and to drive her back. I just hope they can tell us what's making Molly so dizzy lately." TJ explained to his mother in law as Molly began to pick up on the brightness of her mother's mood.

"What's got you so happy today?"

"Can't I just wake up in a good mood?" Alexis pretended to pout and then explained calmly, "Don't get over excited.. But your sister might be on the verge of a breakthrough."

"You mean she's closer to finding out if Kylie and Evette are part of the family?" Molly's eyes were already widening with excitement and TJ quickly told his new bride, "Hey, whoa.. No extensive party planning right now, babe."

"I know, I know.. This is huge though." Molly explained as the two fixed their breakfast and then set off for PCU, leaving Alexis alone in the house and alone with her thoughts. She must have kept her fingers crossed half the day, but she was hoping that in the end, it would all be worth it.

* * *

Nathan

I think Kylie tapped her foot the entire time we were sitting in the waiting room. I know she threw up at least two more times, both times she claimed it was nothing, she was firmly sticking to the virus story and I just had this feeling.. It wasn't just a virus.

If it were, she wouldn't have gotten really sick on Monday and still be sick now when it's almost the weekend. Most viruses last 24 to 72 hours, tops.

I was worried it might be serious.

Kylie seemed to be calm.

Especially considering I was already on edge because of the texts she'd just nonchalantly replied to as if there weren't a killer on the loose.

That was another thing I was going to take care of when I got to the station. I was going to see if she got anymore texts throughout the day. Or if what happened to Michael, Dante's brother, happened to me too.. Then we'd know that somehow, whoever this killer was, they were watching all their intended targets.

The nurse behind the desk called Kylie's name and I stood, catching up to her. Kylie raised a brow at me but she didn't say anything as we walked back. "You didn't mind if I came back too.. Right?"

"Nah.. Just wondering why you wanted to?"

"Just in case they have to give you a shot and you need someone to help you around."

We were seated in an exam room and I was told that my mother was on her way down. Kylie bit her lip and toyed with the strings on a hoodie that I'm pretty sure is one of mine.. I like it, when Maxie and I dated, Maxie didn't really like wearing my clothes. Kylie was raiding my clothes right after she moved in and started subletting with me.

She said that our clothes got mixed up during the process of doing laundry, but I just kind of hope that maybe that wasn't the case.. Because I thought things like the way I felt when I saw Kylie outside the apartment door didn't happen even one time in life, let alone twice.. And since, yeah even if it's mushy as all hell to admit, I had fallen head over heels in love with her.

Even when she's doing things that drive me completely insane or we're arguing.

My mom shut the door loudly as she came in and she looked from me to Kylie, brow raised. "Your son thinks I'm dying or something. Told him I'm fine and I'll live but here we are." Kylie grumbled but my mom gave a laugh and then eyed Kylie critically.

"What are your symptoms?"

"Throwing up, occasional dizziness and that's it. I mean that's all I can really think of that's not the norm for me." Kylie admitted and then my mother asked a question bluntly that had both of us blushing and stammering.

"Have you two been sleeping together?"

"Mom, seriously?"

"Nathan, it's fine.. We're adults. Yes, Mrs. Obrecht.. It was one time, last mon..." and then Kylie trailed off, her hand going to her mouth as her eyes widened a little and she started to count.

"Welp." Kylie muttered in shock as my mom laughed and I realized what was going on finally. The goofy grin came before I could stop it, and then I asked Kylie in concern, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, I just..."

"No, you look freaked out."

"I vill go and get the tests ready. You vill take them. In the meantime, you two vill talk." my mother was at it again, bluntly butting in.. I didn't really mind.. When you get down to the heart of everything, my real mother isn't the evil person I originally thought she was after I first learned the truth. The door shut behind my mother and Kylie took a few deep breaths.

"And now you say it's over… Right?"

"What? No.. Why would you even think that?"

I moved to sit on the exam table next to her and put my arms around her as she muttered quietly, "Because that's kind of what ended Jackson and I.. I was pregnant, I miscarried, he was happy about it and we started to fight, then he was gone." and it was weird, she was being open for once, not holding it all in like she tended to and it drove me crazy when she did.

"When I cornered you about avoiding me, Kylie, it was because I wanted to be more than just your room mate or your best guy friend. Nothing is going to change that.. I mean if you don't want to.." I was freaking out now, but she looked up at me and shook her head, pulling me into a kiss.

"So I guess we're going to do all this backwards?"

"I guess so." I chuckled, letting out a breath I didn't even realize that I'd been holding. My mom came back into the room with the tests and shoved me out, doing both tests.

And then, twenty minutes later, my mother peeked back in and informed us that according to the urine test, Kylie was pregnant.. She said that the blood test would be back in two more days and with that done we went to Kelly's for a quick breakfast.

"I'm only gonna throw it up again."

"You need food.. Both of you." I told her as she nodded but eyed the biscuits in front of her as if they were the least appealing thing she'd ever seen.

We'd just walked out of Kelly's when Logan was calling my phone and telling me that it was all hands on deck at the station yet again. I drove Kylie to the daycare center she works at for half the day and then I drove myself to the station, still smiling and happy at our news that morning.

But the good mood of the day quickly disappeared when I saw the body and the crime scene.

The body count was now up to 8. The killer was literally killing a girl a day now. Something had evidently set them off.

And given that Kylie is a brunette and she's been getting weird texts since last night, yeah.. I was more than a little worried at the moment.

Just as I was getting off for the day, it happened.

TEXT: why hello, officer.

TEXT: would it un nerve you to know that I'm standing here watching your pretty little piece of ass right now?

TEXT: I bet her skin would melt off the knife I'm going to use to gut her with.

TEXT: I might even let you watch, officer.

TEXT: Toodles.

The panic I felt at the texts were enough that I made it across town and to Sam's investigation agency in exactly 2 and a half minutes. And she walked out, completely fine.. But I wasn't.

I was torn between rage because I knew that as fast as I'd driven, I could at least see the damn guy and give chase, and complete and total fear.

But I did have one logical question though.. How in the hell did the sender of the texts know when the girls they were obviously covertly stalking didn't have their phones? I texted Dante, explaining what happened.

* * *

FOOTNOTE:

I wanna thank you guys for even reading my stories! And again, I urge you.. If you haven't read my user bio to find out about the series or you want to know more about Kylie, go to my user bio. There's a lot of information there! This chapter is kind of full of action and drama. I hope to hell everyone is relatively IC.


	3. Chapter 3

THREE

Alexis & Sam

Alexis practically dove for the phone, it was enough to make both Molly and TJ raise a brow at her reaction to the phone ringing. And when Alexis saw that it was Sam calling, she smiled brightly and stood and took the phone into her office, closing the door softly behind her. "Well?"

"The DNA results came back, Mom."

"And?"

"I'm coming over now so we can see them together. I have news of my own to tell you.. All of you, actually." Sam told her mother as she stopped at the curb in front of her mother's townhouse and got out, walking up to the door.

Alexis opened the door as soon as she saw Sam's SUV slowing at the curb. Almost as soon as Sam was inside, she was opening the envelope.

"Well? Are we 2 and 2?" Sam asked hopefully as Alexis wiped at her eyes and then smiled, nodding. "Kylie is your sister. I need to tell Molly and Kristina. What about Evette?"

"Evette is Lila, Mom.. And I told her today and she wants to meet all of you.. She's going to bring Katerina home now."

"I knew it!" Molly was standing in the doorway listening, a pint of pistachio ice cream in her hands as TJ explained sheepishly, "I tried to keep her in the other room until you guys were done." and Alexis hugged both girls and even TJ who laughed.

"So it's good news then?"

"Kylie is your sister and Lila is your niece… And she's going tonight to bring her own daughter back home. We'll all finally be a family again." Alexis was crying but instead of the tears of pain she'd thought she'd be crying, they were tears of happiness. She suddenly felt justified in never truly believing that her daughter was dead all those years ago and she only wished she'd acted on her feelings sooner. At least she could have solace in the fact that Kylie hadn't had a tragic or awful life.

"There's one problem." Sam started as Alexis listened intently while Sam explained that Lila and Johnny were together. Alexis wasn't thrilled, but she reminded Sam of their own tense relationship when she'd tried to butt in and convince Sam to end things with Jason years ago.

"According to him, he's out of the business.. He's only a figurehead."

"Said Julian and every other mobster we know ever."

"Mom.." Sam sighed and then added, "It's nothing I haven't already thought myself. But maybe things will work out for them like they did with me and Jason.. She wants to get to know everyone and I'm doing what you told me, I'm trying to pick my battles.. I make no guarantees that Jason will though, you know how well he and Johnny have always gotten along."

"How do I tell Kylie?"

"You do know she's actually using her spare time to look for you and Julian.. Right? Because she got a similar DVD.." Sam told her mother as Alexis smiled and then said, "I'm just so happy. All of this is finally over, everything is finally coming together."

"It is."

"I can't wait to tell Kylie." Alexis was excited and given her run of luck lately, it felt good to feel that way again.

* * *

Kylie & Nathan

"Don't you dare do it, Daryl Dixon you fucking idiot!" Kylie was hiding her head in Nathan's neck again as Negan bought the bat down on Glenn's head seconds later. Nathan grimaced and then asked casually, "If this bothers you, why are we watching?"

"Because, Nathan, I waited half a year to see this, okay?"

"Okay, alright.." Nathan was chuckling. The door was knocked on and Kylie slid out of Nathan's lap to go and answer.

A woman Kylie recognized as a case worker from CPS was standing at the door and there was a little blonde girl standing awkwardly beside her, the little girl looked scared to death.

"Is Officer Nathan West at home?"

"He is, actually." Kylie turned, intending to go into the den and get him, but he was standing behind her. The social worker asked if she could come in and Kylie and Nathan stepped to the side allowing her in.

After she explained everything to Nathan, he sat there, stunned. "So she's my daughter… And Claudette just left her and left town?"

"She left her with a Dr. Griffin Munro, but yes. She left town.. After signing over custody to you."

Kylie was sitting there, mind blown. Claudette hadn't seemed like she'd pull something like this when she'd come by almost two weeks before.

"Did she say why?"

"Dr. Munro informed us that he'd rather discuss the matter with you, Officer West, so I'd imagine he'll be in touch soon. I need to get going. A representative will be back."

The woman left and Nathan and Kylie looked at each other and then at the quiet little girl. Kylie nudged Nathan and he picked the little girl up and sat her on his lap. "Are you hungry?"

"Mommy's gone." and Nathan held the little girl as she began to cry. Kylie sighed and swore quietly to herself. If Claudette were standing here right now, in front of her, she'd probably punch the woman in the throat.

"Anybody who can just walk away from their kid like that.. Ughh, I swear to God. I knew there was a reason I didn't like that woman." Kylie fumed to herself as she leaned in and gave Nathan a kiss and then said calmly, "I'm going to move my stuff into your room. Tomorrow, we'll go and we'll get Charlotte clothes and toys and things."

As she walked down the hall, she thought about the one and only foster home she'd been in before being adopted by the O'Donnells. And she just hoped to God that Claudette pulling this stunt of hers didn't have any long term effects on Charlotte..

She also hoped that she didn't completely make a mess of everything. Her hand drifted to her own stomach as she smiled a little to herself. Somehow this was all going to work out. It might not be the most conventional situation and it might not be how she pictured things happening at all but.. She wasn't going to lie when she admitted to herself that she was happy and excited.. But also very, very nervous.

She'd just finished getting the bedroom she'd been using more suitable for a four year old inhabitant and went into the living room. She smiled when she found Nathan and Charlotte sitting on the couch watching The Great Pumpkin.

She sat down with them and Nathan slid his arm around her, pulling her close. Kylie held out the teddy bear that her adoptive father had gotten her. "I think Smokey needs a new owner." Kylie smiled at the little girl and warily, Charlotte took the bear. "Thank you." she muttered quietly, biting her lip as she looked at the woman who lived with her daddy and wondered why her mommy just left the way she did.

She'd seemed scared when she dropped her off with her 'uncle' Griff today.

"I miss mommy."

"We know, sweetie. But it'll be okay, alright?" Kylie sighed as she fluffed the little girl's hair. Nathan watched them and smiled to himself. He did get the feeling that something about Charlotte's situation reminded her of her own but he didn't ask.

* * *

FOOTNOTE:

I wanna thank you guys for even reading my stories! And again, I urge you.. If you haven't read my user bio to find out about the series or you want to know more about Kylie, go to my user bio. There's a lot of information there! This chapter is kind of full of action and drama. I hope to hell everyone is relatively IC.


End file.
